Re: Knapweed Biocontrol

><I've been asked by a friend to help find alternatives for the control
><of a reasonable small area of knapweed (not acres of it).
<snip>
><Any advice for them?
><Charlie Griffin
><cgriffin@facts.ksu.edu
>The USDA, in partnership with states in the west, has introduced numerous
>beneficial insects that eat knapweed in pastures.
<snip>
>I know there are some companies [I believe in Montana]
>that collect the wild weed-eating insects and sell them, but it is a bit
>late at night out my way to look up the companies in my files.
<snip>>
>Joel Grossman
>independent writer and former agricultural pest control adviser
Most of the work on knapweed biocontrol has been done by the USDA in
Montana. The general consensus is that it will take a combination of
several insects to achieve good biocontrol. Try Chuck Quimby at (406)
482-2020
The "Suppliers of Beneficial Organisms" book that we put out lists a couple
of suppliers of knapweed controls. The current edition is out of print,
but you can find it electronically in the publications section of our Web
site at www.cdpr.ca.gov. (An updated edition is being prepared and will be
out electronically in the next couple of months or so. I'll post an
announcemetn to Sanet when it's out.)
****************************************
Kathy Brunetti, Agriculture Program Supervisor
California Department of Pesticide Regulation
1020 N Street Room 161, Sacramento, California, USA 95814-5624
voice (916) 324-4100, FAX (916) 324-4088, brunetti@empm.cdpr.ca.gov
Our Web site: http://www.cdpr.ca.gov